Chapter Twenty-Three

 

 

 

 

A week later.

Seated at his parents’ dinner table, it was difficult to listen and make conversation while Matt’s fingers moved up her leg. Ohhh, she felt herself start to melt. A line of fire spread from his fingers right to Carolina’s core. Desire swirled through her body. She wanted to give in but she couldn’t, not here!

In lieu of sipping, Carolina gulped the wine from a glass that she held in a death grip. Matt’s hand traced a path from her knee, between her thighs, and she shot him a warning look. Of course, he ignored it! Another inch and the tremble in Carolina’s shoulder worked its way down her arm.

Her hand shook as she set the wine glass on the table. All the while the devil in blue jeans beside her wore a blank expression. Well, two can play this game. Just like that she crossed her legs, clamping his fingers in a tight hold. Matt winced. This time, she was the one laughing, low and short, before releasing her grasp.

He removed his hand from between her legs and she wondered what he’d do next. Carolina didn’t have to wait long. With greater aplomb, he moved his arm to the back of her chair. “More wine?” he asked in a low husk of a voice. The glint was back in his blue eyes.

“I’m fine,” she replied, holding his gaze.

“Don’t I know it,” he murmured.

She tried not to shiver as his fingers caressed her hair, neck, and shoulder. Fine, she thought and put her hand on his arm. As if a victory had been won, he let go a chuckle and took her hand.

It had been less than two weeks and from falling fast, Carolina was very certain she was there. Infatuation, plus some. Ever since the calving, she and Matt were constantly touching. Before arriving for dinner, she’d suggested that maybe they should try some restraint. They’d been caught kissing, not a peck. Deep, over-the-top on more than a dozen occasions. If he was near, she couldn’t resist and to his credit, Matt seemed to be in the same boat headed up a river called denial.

“Carolina, Rory said you were there for the birth of the calf. Not many women are up for that sort of ordeal,” Cory exclaimed. “You’re brave, more than most men, I reckon.”

As casually as possible, she replied, “Difficult calvings aren’t hard to come by, believe it or not. They’re the norm for a mobile vet.”

Wade and Sarah had heard about the calving and after that, it was an easy skip to why, what, how, and that she was a vet. It had come out when Rory told his twin sister and Cory mentioned it to an aunt, who promptly reported it to Sarah. Not that Carolina minded—it freed her from being undercover, which had felt altogether wrong.

“Really. So, you treat all sorts of animals in your mobile office?” Cory asked. “I wish you would’ve brought your van here.”

“Time, I didn’t have. That’s the only drawback when it comes to mobility. Which is pretty much the life for large animal vets willing to travel.” Carolina was hoping to extend her boundaries, but finding customers wasn’t as easy as she had hoped. She’d gotten a few replies. Then today, she’d sent out another newsletter doing what Matt had suggested, lowering her prices.

Brandon chimed in. “Like Doctors Without Borders. A vet without a border.”

“Very much so,” she mused. “It’s why I’m broadening my client base. But it’s slow going.”

“You’ve got a client in Louisiana,” Matt said, squeezing her hand. “Others will follow.”

“Yes,” she murmured in agreement.

Then he turned to Stephen who’d asked a question. Carolina gazed at his profile. A muscle clenched along Matt’s cheek. He was aware that she’d received a request for vet services in Louisiana. A referral from Jeff, not that she’d heard from him directly. The ranch owner had mentioned it, telling her it was short-term. Small-time for Dr. Haverty. A ranch interested in buying stock wanted a vet on hand and required her ready to roll on-site within the next week.

She took hold of Matt’s forearm. His muscles relaxed under her fingers and he covered her hands with his large calloused palm. His burning gaze held her steady. The conversation around the table receded.

They’d agreed to give his family the bare facts. It was the truth that they’d met because of her profession. No lie there. Not knowing what the lab report would say and how it might be interpreted placed her in the hot seat of being the person to point a finger. Yet even if she had a story formulated on the variables, everything was changing fast.

Matt had hinted at wanting to know her schedule and future plans. He turned away without saying a word, removed his palm, and slipped his forearm from her grasp. Matt picked up his glass and tipped it back against his lips. His throat worked, muscular cords, and her heart stuttered. Was he as twisted and tore up as she, realizing the end loomed closer and closer?

When they were alone together, making love, his body next to her, everything was perfect. Complications arose amidst the outside world, namely her future work schedule.

“The calf is running about, suckling, stable. What more could we ask for?” Rory stated, jarring Carolina from her thoughts. He was looking right at her. “You’re good at what you do. Best vet, we’ve all seen.”

“I wish I’d known is all,” Wade said.

“No one asked,” Matt interjected. “Since when do we get a curriculum vitae from anyone’s better half?”

Cory laughed. “None of my dates come and deliver a calf, big brother.”

“That’s only because you’d scare them off before a birth could occur,” Stephen said.

“At least I remember my date’s name,” Cory snipped.

“What’s changed since yesterday?” Matt asked, cutting the rising tide of people’s emotions.

An uncomfortable silence followed. They were all talking about her as if she weren’t present. Carolina glanced down at her plate, pretending that the grilled steak was more than entrancing, and took an excessive amount of time cutting a bite. After she finished her dinner, she laid down her fork, and looked up. His mother’s quizzical expression made her hesitate.

“Maybe we could talk after dinner while the men smoke?” Sarah asked.

“That would be lovely,” Carolina murmured. “Can I help clear?”

“Don’t you dare. We’ll have our tea in the living room. Matt.” Sarah gave him a motherly stare.

“I’d better see you there,” he whispered.

Carolina’s smile tightened. She had planned on reviewing the samples one more time. Tomorrow the preliminary lab results would be in. She suddenly felt caught. A door shutting.

Matt kissed the side of her cheek. His face was closed and distant, even though he ruffled her hair before going outside.

The dishes were cleared and Sarah carried in a tray. “This house takes on a whole different personality when the men are outdoors.”

The laughter and talk was muffled until Matt’s deep voice rose.

“That’s for certain,” Carolina agreed. “Men can overpower a situation if left to their own devices.”

Sarah poured tea into the cups. “Do you take cream or lemon?”

“Cream and thank you for the other night, last week.” As Matt’s mom poured the cream, Carolina glanced around. There were photographs of all the McLemores and she asked, “Where’s Cory?”

“My pleasure.” Sarah held out a cup of tea and nodded over at the photographs she’d just admired. “As for Cory, I believe she’s talking on the phone. My daughter would do well with a career that involved sales and telephones.”

“We were all that age.”

“You aren’t that much older than she is and yet look at you. A professional. A woman who holds her own future. Commands respect.”

Carolina stopped sipping her tea. “I don’t know if that’s all true, but you’re very kind to say so.”

“Kindness nothing. We McLemore women pride ourselves on being forthright. Anyone with working eyes, would tell you the same thing. Yet it’s from a mother’s intuition that I say, my son is taken with you. I almost thought it would never happen, again.”

Carolina’s face heated uncomfortably. She desperately did and did not want to discuss Matt’s past. But this was his mother and Carolina rushed on to say, “You have a wonderful son. Really, he’s a remarkable man. From the first moment that we met, Matt struck me as, well, …” It had taken every bit of strength to speak evenly and now, the sting behind her eyes made talking next to impossible.

“I’m not fishing for compliments for my son,” Sarah said softly. “Honestly, I’d like to know your thoughts on Matt as a man.”

Moisture filmed Carolina’s eyes. She swallowed. “I’m not sure it’s easy to sum up my thoughts. Every day is new. Matt’s unconventional, a maverick in his ideas about ranching and business, and someone I’ll never forget.”

“Like a tornado?”

The fist that had held her heart as if in a vise let go. In a whoosh, Carolina laughed out her anxiety. “Yes, but in a good way.”

Sarah chuckled as well. The tension in the room dissolved. “Did Matt tell you anything about his brothers or father?”

“Some. Did you mean anything specific?”

“McLemore men don’t mince words, either. They’re pretty set in their ways and strong willed. Have been for generations. Matt is educated. He’s seen the world but he always comes back home. What I’m getting at is these are men who know what they want and go after it wholeheartedly.”

The tea swirled in Carolina’s cup, a vortex much like her own whirling feelings even if she felt more relaxed. Here was Sarah explaining about her son and asking for clarification of her emotions. Confused, a yearning to stop being pulled in a million directions arose in Carolina. Matt was a man she wanted to keep in her life but it was as if a gully lay between them. She’d already known a man whose secrets had screwed with her head. A highly-respected man yet in private—Carolina’s mind screamed that Jeff and Matthew McLemore were worlds, no universes apart.

Matt was a terrific son and he’d be, without a doubt, an amazing husband and father with the right wife. But maybe Sarah was referring to something else? Carolina looked the other woman in the eye and said, “Do you think he’s headed down the wrong path? In wanting to modernize the ranch. Build a cell tower. Because those things have nothing to do with me.”

“My dear, I’m not the one to judge my son. Wade and I trust him to take the reins of Evermore. Otherwise, we never would have started the process of putting him in charge. I only wanted to find out, if we might see more of you after this week.”

Such a lady. Carolina couldn’t help but smile. “Unexpected things do happen. Didn’t you come back right, away?”

“Touché, my dear.” Sarah set her cup down. “In truth, I wanted to run like the blazes and get the heck out of here.”

“What happened?” she asked.

Sarah’s eyes softened. “I was visiting with a college girlfriend’s family nearby. I met Wade at a dance. He didn’t say boo at first but there was something about him. Something I couldn’t forget or get past. Wade didn’t give me much of a chance. None of the McLemores ever stood for long engagements after their hearts were set.”

Carolina sipped her tea thoughtfully, then asked, “What about college?”

Sarah smiled sweetly. “I never went back. Wade and I were married within a week from our first dance.”

***

Matt and Carolina hardly exchanged more than a couple of words going back to his house. They both seemed lost in their thoughts. He unlocked the front door then abruptly swung her around, backing her up against the wall in the foyer. He braced his hands on either side of her head, caging her between his sculpted biceps. The delicious whip of ache and longing raced across Carolina’s chest making it hard to breathe. Her fingers itched to trace the edge of his jaw shadowed by beard stubble. But she couldn’t, not yet.

Refusing to be derailed from her intent to find out Matt’s deep dark secrets, she arched a brow. “What’s up, cowboy?” Carolina directed her gaze to the bulge straining his jeans. “Besides the obvious.”

Her words and pointed look hit their mark.

As if she’d struck a match, lighting a fuse in this man’s sapphire blue eyes, Matt growled, “You want some of this?” He rubbed his palm down his zipper. “What’s the word, baby?”

‘Please’ came to mind but Carolina stopped herself. She looked into Matt’s eyes and opened the door. “Truth.”

“You’re playing with fire,” he warned.

Raw lust heated her to the point of doing something desperate. She felt desire tug at her internal muscles in need of Matt pounding that rock-hard erection of his, deep into her until white-light exploded in her head.

“Who says I’m playing.” Carolina cupped his face and crashed her mouth on his, not holding anything back. Tonight was the night to come to the mat.

Matt hauled her up from the wall. There was no stopping them. She wrapped her legs around his waist, looping her arms around his broad shoulders. Still kissing, he carried her into the living room, dumping her onto the sofa.

In seconds, they were naked. On fire, they both came back like magnets slammed together. Carolina had her thighs over Matt’s muscular shoulders as he hoisted her hips, burying his face between her legs.

With no hand-holds, she bucked in pleasure. Every cell in her body was impaled by red-hot ecstasy. Fire raced in her blood and she came apart as Matt held her in place, driving, driving, driving her toward the brink. Then without letting her catch her breath, he lowered her bottom, and pounded into her in one heart-stopping ram.

“Matt!” she screamed, giddy and sex drunk,

He didn’t relent. Over and over, he thrust into Carolina without mercy. Forgetting the world beyond, this man with their bodies, was telling her about possession, about passion. So close to the brink, she twined her fingers into his hair, tugging as if her life depended on it.

Unyielding, Matt groaned, “Tell me… the truth.” One more slam, one more grind of his narrow hips, and their gazes locked.

Carolina was caught in a trap, which she’d built and like an idiot had tossed away the key. “Us,” she rasped. “Only us.”

God, she wanted to tell him more. How he stroked her body was like a master musician. How she’d never be the same. How she didn’t want this to end. But at that moment, Matt took her over the edge. He held onto her thighs, pounding his entire length from root to tip, hauling her over a cliff into a screaming orgasm.

“Matt,” she cried. “I’m there.”

Only when his name was on her lips did he appear remotely satisfied. He pulled out of her, panting, and growled, “This is only the beginning. How much of you is mine?”

“What do you mean?” She wanted to ask him the same.

He touched her face and kissed her mouth. Their tenderness turned into a hungry act. “This is about a one-night no-holds-barred. Can you handle it?”

“Matt, that isn’t a question, it’s a challenge.”

“Only if you want to make it so. You can trust me, baby.” He raised her hands above her head and pulled. “But can you trust yourself?”

“Me?” she laughed. “You’re unbelievable.”

He pinned her beneath him. Matt’s cock brushed against her already sensitized skin, teasing her, then without warning, he entered her, again. With his customary penetrating stare, the man didn’t move, not one thrust. With just the right pressure, Matt ground himself against her and she saw stars.

He dipped his mouth to her ear as she arched, ready to combust. “What is it that you’re lookin’ for, darlin’?”

Carolina tried to rock her hips but he was so goddamn stubborn and strong. She glared up at him and blurted out, “The truth. You’ve been holding back from me ever since we met.”

He canted closer. “I want you to stay.”

“Tell me why!” she demanded.

“Isn’t it obvious?” Matt’s eyes narrowed as though she’d just called him out. “Something’s got you spooked.”

“I’m not the one who sidesteps questions. You’re very good, McLemore. I’ll give you that. And please, don’t try that nonsense that you have no idea what I’m talkin’ about,” she drawled in a sultry Texas accent. “Sex is only one type of communication. I want to know about you, but I won’t invade your privacy.”

“Why?” It was Matt who demanded this time. “Ask away.”

“Aren’t you overrun enough?” Carolina huffed, refusing to be one more woman who ran with the bit between her teeth. She tried to free her arms but he got hold of her wrists in that ironclad grip of his. She flexed her hip and tried to flail. He yanked her arms higher, pushing down on her body with his weight.

“Not where you’re concerned. Woman, I’m not deflecting and avoiding questions since you haven’t asked anything. What’s got you going, baby?”

This was a Catch-22. Either she asked him point-blank about his past or she accept that he was either unwilling or not ready to discuss it. What did that mean? Carolina gritted her teeth at the other possibility: he wasn’t over the woman. Whoever she was had done a number on Matt.

“Nothing,” she huffed, refusing to push him for answers. “Kiss me, cowboy. Or I can go down on you. Make you come so hard, you’ll see stars! Which is it gonna be?”

Grinning, Matt replied, “Is that even a real question, darlin’?”